2010/03/13

"Supermodel-turned-photographer Helena Christensen urged politicians and world leaders to commit to real changes at the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks, as she launched a photo exhibition in London documenting climate change in Peru.

Christensen, who is half-Danish, half-Peruvian, traveled to her mother's native country to capture the effects of climate change on the indigenous people, in a joint project with Oxfam.

The resulting images, a selection of color and black-and-white images shot using film, digital and Polaroid cameras, went on display in London's Proud Gallery last week.

Christen, 40, said she jumped at the chance to take part. "To be able to do something for the country that my mother is from was a very important reason as to why I went along," she told AFP.

"And Oxfam reaches so many people I figured it was definitely a way to bring awareness about what was going on prior to the climate conference in Copenhagen.

World leaders will gather in Copenhagen from Dec. 7-18 for talks to prepare the way for a new climate deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Hopes have been dashed in recent weeks that the talks would lead to a binding agreement on cutting emissions and helping developing countries deal with the effects of climate change.

Christensen stressed that the real responsibilities lie with those in power.

"As the people, we can only do so much. Politicians and world leaders are the ones who have the power to actually make drastic changes.

"I really hope that for once the politicians will come up with some rules, some new ways of stopping the enormous amount of carbon dioxide that is being pumped into this world."

In Peru, Christensen witnessed first-hand the effects retreating glaciers have on local farmers.

As the glaciers melt and the rivers dry up, Christensen said there was not enough water to sustain the indigenous farmers and alpaca herders she visited.

Contrary to popular belief, the mother of one explains she was actually a photographer before she went into modelling."